Once Upon a Fairy Tale
by Why Black Hairs the New Blonde
Summary: One day, everything is normal. Ron and Hermione had been fighting over a book of fairy tales, but they wake up the next morning and something doesn't feel right. Soon, they begin to notice that these strange things only happen once upon a fairy tale...
1. That Look You Give Me

**A/N:** Yay! Hello, and welcome to my second story! Tonight (or this morning, or this afternoon, or whatever time you are reading thing) you'll hear a story that can only happen once upon a fairy tale… I know, isn't it exciting? (I just ruined the emotional setting of the story, didn't I?) Well, I've always loved fairy tales and of course, Harry Potter, so I've decided to combine the two, like those vanilla/chocolate swirl ice cream thing. Whoo hoo! So, anyway, read, review, and most importantly, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, shocker, I know.

**Once Upon a Fairy Tale**

**Chapter 1: That Look You Give Me**

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…

"Hermioneeeeeeeeeee! I don't want to read the stupid book. That's suppose to be your job!" the red haired, freckle covered Ron Weasley whined as he stretched out on the scarlet sofa in the somewhat spacious Gryffindor common room.

"Please, they're actually really short. You could finish them all in one sitting," the rather frustrated Hermione Granger pleaded as she tried to hand him a thin, leather bound book. "I want to make sure that they're easy enough for Muggle children to understand."

"Oh, so now I'm a child," Ron retorted in disgust as he thrust the book out of his face.

"I didn't mean it like that, but if you keep acting that way I might just use that as a description of you from now on," Hermione replied getting angrier with ever passing second.

Ginny and Harry watched the sickeningly obvious verbal banter between the two as if it were the finals of a major ping pong match. After about 20 minutes, they began to wonder if they should interrupt Ron and Hermione's little quarrel because they feared everyone would go deaf from all the yelling. Ginny looked over at Harry who gave her a "he's your brother plus, I'm a guy and don't know how to deal with this sort of thing" look. Ginny just rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to settle their argument, but at the same moment, the two stormed off to opposite ends of the quickly clearing common room.

Harry turned away, thinking he could escape his usually pathetic attempt to make Ron and Hermione like or at least be civil to each other again, but he was caught by the collar before he could make his great escape. He looked over his shoulder at Ginny who was giving him a "he may be my brother, but they're your best friends, now help me fix this" look. He sighed in defeat and slumped over to talk to Hermione, who was all alone in the corner next to the fire reading a thin book with a hint of a smile lingering on her lips.

"Sooo… whatcha reading?" Harry asked slowly as he sat down in the squishy chair next to Hermione.

Hermione made it clear that she knew he was only there because Ginny forced him to try and get Ron and her to be friends again. "Tell Ginny, I never plan to talk to with her _childish_ brother **ever again**," Hermione said not even looking up from her book, but the expression on her face was no longer peaceful or whimsical.

"Umm… look Hermione, I know I'm not really that great with emotional things, especially when there's crying involved, but I think I know how you feel."

Hermione snorted, but her naturally sparkling brown eyes stopped scanning the yellowing page that she was reading. She merely stared motionlessly at the page as if asking Harry to continue.

"It's kind of like a distant memory. You can picture everything perfectly, but it's like the person you're describing it to doesn't quite understand and you spend ages trying to get them to, but you end up just getting frustrated and angry and then you just feel like screaming or hitting something or… well, crying too, I suppose," Harry looked up at Hermione who was still staring at her book. "I guess not," Harry added as he began to walk away, slightly sadder than when he had gotten there.

Hermione looked up from her book and sighed. Harry did seem to be trying and so what if his little speech didn't make much sense, well, actually, it didn't make any sense at all, the point was he had tried and Hermione respected that. "I'm reading a book of fairy tales. My cousins are coming to my house over the summer and I want to make sure that the stories are entertaining enough for them and I thought Ron would know if the stories were interesting," Hermione's voice began to quicken, "but he took it the wrong way and… and… I didn't mean to, Harry. I didn't mean to make him mad," Hermione finished with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"You never know, he could be feeling a bit like you too," Harry added uneasily, feeling a bit uncomfortable with a teary Hermione.

**Meanwhile…**

"Ron, you are such a moron!" Ginny began as she stormed up to her pouting brother and whacked him square on the head.

"**_OW!_** What did I do now?" Ron said looking up from his lap. "If it's about that thing in your…" Ron began.

"Ron, just look at Hermione," Ginny said as she physically turned Ron's head to Hermione, who was reading to herself now that Harry had slunk away to who knows where. She decided to forget about what Ron was going to say, for the sake of Ron and Hermione's friendship. She'd find out what it was later anyway.

"What am I suppose to see?" Ron said rather exasperated, after a minute of staring at Hermione.

"Just look at her!" Ginny said a little louder, hoping louder truly was better. Ron just looked at her with a blank stare. Sighing, Ginny figured that she should clarify things for her _very_ unobservant brother. "Don't you feel bad that she's sitting there, sitting there _all alone_?" Ron said nothing, so Ginny continued, "You couldn't have just read those stupid stories, could you? It would have made her happy. It would have made **_everyone_** happy. Don't you think that we get tired of your constant bickering and bickering and bickering and…"

"Alright, Ginny, I GET IT!" Ron said throwing his hands in the air. "But what do you want me to do about it? I had a hard day at Qudditch practice, I had detention with Snape, I had to do that Herbology homework, no, wait, I still haven't done that, but I had to…"

"RON!"

"OW! Ginny, don't scream in my ear. You sound like a bloody banshee."

"Well, then stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about Hermione," Ginny hissed as she began to hit him repeatedly over the head with her green spiral notebook until he agreed to apologize to Hermione.

Ron grumbled and reluctantly got up to talk to Hermione. Secretly, he knew Ginny was right. He knew he shouldn't have argued with her and just read those stupid stories. He knew he had to talk to Hermione eventually, and there's no time like the present.

"Erm… Hermione?" Ron asked preparing for her worst, but Hermione didn't answer. She continued to read her book. Ron sighed and began apologizing. "Look Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm really, _really_ sorry. I know that probably doesn't mean that much to you, but I truly am. I know I should have just read your stories, but I was having a bad day. I guess that's no excuse, but I am really sorry, I really am. I'll read the…"

"Ginny put you up to this didn't she?" Hermione asked sharply as she looked up at a rather pathetic looking Ron.

"Well," Ron began, not willing to admit Ginny's persuasion, "I'm not lying. I really am sorry."

"Do you really want to read the book or are you just saying that so I won't be mad at you?" Hermione asked as her interrogation of Ron continued.

"Honestly, fairy tales aren't really my idea of a good time," Ron answered as he sat down. He looked over at Hermione, who was averting his eyes. "But you know, I'm always willing to try new things," Ron added with a huge and clearly fake smile.

"Well, I appreciate your honesty," Hermione said with a sigh. "And I'd really like you to read them. I mean, it's always good to research these kinds of things and…"

"Hermione? You're babbling," Ron interrupted quietly, not feeling up to a Hermione style babble lecture.

"Oh, sorry, but I'd really like it if you read the stories. You shouldn't really obligated to read them, but…"

"It's alright, Hermione," Ron sighed, "I don't feel like I need to read the stories. I want to."

"Thank you!" Hermione cried as she hugged a slightly flustered Ron.

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Ron said as he walked up the stairs and into his room pink filling his cheeks, leaving Hermione alone by the fire as she finished reading the last story in the book. Before Ron disappeared into the darkness of the hallway, he added, "Well, have fun reading Hermione, I'll see you in the morning."

Harry and Ginny watched the two from the furthest end of the common room. Ginny gave Harry an "awww… how cute" look, while Harry responded with a look that read "and it's all thanks to me." Ginny hit him on the head with her notebook and made her way to the girl's dorm leaving Harry, who was trying to figure out what he had done wrong.

**A/N:** So, what do y'all think? It's different and I bet someone's used this idea before, but I still think it's rather cute. With that said, I'm always looking for reviews, constructive criticism, praise, or any other randomness.


	2. Little Red Riding Cloak

**A/N:** Alright, second chapter, and I'm sure y'all can guess which fairy tale it's based off of. If not, hopefully, the chapter itself will give you some idea and if you can't guess then, message me and I'll be happy to divulge that information to you. So, without further ado… read, review, and most importantly, enjoy!

**A/N 2:** I edited this chapter. I finally found what was wrong with the chapter (with a little help though).

**Disclaimer:** Yeah… don't own anything, do you?

**Chapter 2: Little Red Riding Cloak**

"No, no, no Mummy, don't hit me with the pancake. I was going to eat that pancake. Stop... no, go away... no...no…no…"

"Ron, get up _now_, we're late for Quidditch practice," Harry yelled as he, Neville, Dean, AND Seamus tried frantically to get Ron up by yelling at him and hurling whatever they could find at him.

"I've got the ice water," Neville said as he stumbled into the room nearly tripping and falling over a rouge Transfiguration textbook.

"Well, pour it on him," Dean said in an annoyed way.

As soon as a drop of water touched his face, Ron bolted up. "I think the ceiling's leaking," he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Ron! Get a move on! We need to be down at the Quidditch pitch, like, umm... now!" Harry said as he threw Ron's crumpled Quidditch robes at him.

"WHAT!" Ron exclaimed as he jumped out of bed and began to change. "We had Quidditch practice?"

"Could you guys make sure Ron gets down to the Quidditch pitch as soon as he's done? Don't let him go get something to eat. The team will eat _after_ practice. Plus, he's wasting our time, I need to make sure he remembers to get up next time. I should really get practice going," Harry asked as he began to leave.

The other boys nodded as Ron mumbled something like "I don't remember there being practice" and "Can't believe I'm missing breakfast" while he continued to change into his Quidditch uniform.

**MEANWHILE...**

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione get up!"

"But Professor! I swear I did my homework..."

"Hermione, I need yeh to get up!"

"Huh? What? Oh, Hagrid, it's just you! Wait… What are you doing in the GIRLS dorm? How did you get in here?" Hermione said in slight hysteria as she pulled up her blankets a bit more.

"I need yeh to do somethin' for meh, please," Hagrid pleaded. "I don't know who else could help meh," he said as he knelt beside Hermione's bed.

"Um... sure," Hermione said uneasily as she rubbed her eyes and sat up a little. "What would you like me to do?"

"I need yeh to take this medicine to Grawp," Hagrid said with a sigh of relief as he handed Hermione a large wicker basket.

"Grawp...in the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione gulped as Hagrid nodded. "Oh, Hagrid, wouldn't it be safer if you went. The creatures in that forest don't trust me. They would devour me ALIVE. I'm just a little girl, in that… big… scary forest," Hermione said anxiously, still clutching the basket.

"No, I can't go back in there now, it's a complicated story, but yeh'll be safe as long as yeh wear this red cloak," Hagrid said as he handed Hermione a soft red cloak that he'd pulled out of his pocket. "Please Hermione, no on else can do it. I need yeh," Hagrid begged.

Hermione sat biting her lip trying to think of a way to help Hagrid without going in to the Forbidden Forest. She couldn't, so she reluctantly agreed. Hagrid sobbed for joy, hugged Hermione, and left for the common room for Hermione to get ready, still muttering his thank yous.

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione emerged from her room and fluttered into the common room, wearing the flowing red cloak that Hagrid had given her, where Hagrid was waiting.

"I dunno how ter thank you, Hermione, just remember to stay along the path, so yeh don't get lost," Hagrid warned as he walked Hermione to the Forbidden Forest. As they reached Hagrid's hut, Hagrid said one last word of thanks and wished Hermione good luck. "Good luck, Hermione!" Hagrid called as she entered the eerie black forest. "Remember ter follow the path! We don't want yeh gettin' lost."

"Just stay on the path, I can do this... Lumos!" Hermione told herself encouragingly as she crept passed leering shadows and gnarled tree branches. "I can do this," she whispered in a chant to herself.

"Do what?" a voice said as it slipped out of nowhere.

"Who said that?" Hermione asked desperately as she looked around, having a feeling she'd heard that voice before.

"Oh, is Granger _scared_?" the voice taunted as Hermione saw movement in the tree branches above her.

"Malfoy?" she wondered aloud.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," Malfoy said nonchalantly as he jumped out of the tree. "I wouldn't waste my time. I hate this forest. I was just hiding from the _giant_ that's roaming around in here."

"Why are you in here in the first place?"

"Well...well... erm... that is none of your business," Malfoy stuttered.

Hermione sighed. "And where did you see this _giant_?"

"Back there, in that clearing, a little ways back," Malfoy said as he began to slink away. "Best get back to the castle now." And with that, he quickly slid back out of the Forbidden Forest.

"He really did get _weird_ this year," Hermione thought aloud to no one in particular, as she looked to where Malfoy had pointed. "Wait, this is definitely off the path, should I trust Malfoy? He isn't exactly the most trustworthy person, but he did seem rather spooked. Plus, I won't get lost, I can see the clearing," Hermione mused.

Hermione decided to completely forget about Hagrid's warning and made her way into the clearing, only to find Grawp fast asleep between two trees. With each wheezing breath Grawp took the ground shook. It was ten times worse when Grawp sneezed.

"Bless you," Hermione said meekly as she went to give Grawp his medicine. "Please don't wake up, please don't wake up," Hermione chanted to herself as she bravely approached the sleeping giant.

**MEANWHILE...**

Ron had finally made it to Quidditch practice where Harry was running very exhausting drills. To begin with, Harry made them each take ten laps around the field and if that weren't enough they had to pass the Quaffle back and forth hundred times. By the time they got to practicing, Ron was about to pass out. "Stop throwing Quaffles at me!" Ron whined as another Quaffle flew past him.

"Ron! You need to catch them and that's what they're supposed to be doing! It's your bloody job!" Harry shouted as he looked for the Snitch.

"Who died and made him king," Ron mumbled under his breath as a Bludger shot by. "Stupid Beaters. I have enough balls flying at me."

"Come on Ron!" Ginny yelled. "Just catch a few more, Harry can't keep this going much longer." She threw another Quaffle at him, which passed by him, again, but this time, the Quaffle went as far as into the Forbidden Forest.

"I'm not getting that," Ginny said as she threw her hands in the air.

Harry sighed. "I guess practice is over, everyone go get changed and go eat or whatever," Harry said as he rubbed his head. "Ron, go get the Quaffle."

"WHAT!" Ron yelled as he dismounted. "Why do I have to get it?"

"Because you didn't catch one Quaffle, did you?" Ginny answered smugly as she entered the locker room.

"Stupid Ginny... stupid Harry..." Ron muttered as he grabbed his wand and flew into the forest. "Can't believe they're making me get it. I mean, there are spiders and... and... vampires and... other things in here that could kill me. I wonder if the centaurs are still crazy..." Ron wondered as he searched the bramble for the missing quaffle. All of a sudden, Ron heard a scream. "What was that?" he said aloud to himself. Then it hit him, like a ton of Hagrid's cakes. "That kind of sounds like... like... Hermione! Don't worry, Hermione, I'll save you!"

Ron charged toward the scream and ended up in this clearing. He looked up and saw Grawp holding Hermione about to eat her.

"Grawp, it's me, Hermy. Come on Grawp, don't you remember me?" Hermione pleaded with fear in her eyes.

"Hermione, Hermione!"

"Ron?" Hermione said as she temporarily stopped struggling, enough for Grawp to take her and shove her in his mouth.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Ron wondered as he paced back and forth. "I can't kill Hagrid's brother, even if he did eat my best friend. There has to be a spell, anything that could get Hermione out..." Ron wondered. As he racked his mind for ideas to getting Hermione to of Grawp's stomach, Grawp went after Ron. "Why did Hagrid have to bring his brother here?" Ron thought as he hid behind a tree. "Kind of reminds me of the troll that we knocked out in first... THAT'S IT!" Ron practically yelled. "I get Grawp to throw Hermione up! Ew, but it'll work. If only I knew how to... THAT'S IT!" Ron yelled. "Eat slugs!" Ron yelled again, as he pointed his wand at Grawp, hoping his plan would work.

At first, Grawp just stood there, staring at him. Then, he turned green and hiccupped. By the third hiccup, slugs began to pour out of Grawp's mouth. Ron began to search through the slug to find Hermione. After a few minutes, Ron saw a hand come out of the slug piles. "Hermione!" he said as he pulled a disgusted Hermione out of the slug pile. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, for having just been in a giant's stomach," she replied as she wiped slug slime off her red cloak.

"I think something strange is going on," Ron said slowly as he helped Hermione stand up.

"Gee Ron, what was your first clue?" Hermione said as she looked over her shoulder to find Grawp still throwing up slugs.

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm," Ron joked, but then he continued in a more serious tone, "I'm not sure what's going on, but whatever it is, I don't like it."

" I have a feeling, this has something to do with Malfoy. I saw him earlier babbling about seeing giants and being in the Forbidden Forest. Do you think it was a trap?" she asked as they began to leave the forest.

"Probably," Ron replied kicking a random stone

"I bet he used the Impertious curse. But is he powerful enough…" Hermione said without paying attention to Ron. "But why would he make it so obvious? No…no, I don't think it was him, although I wouldn't put it past him..."

"Um... Hermione?"

"... He is rather sneaky and..."

"Um... Hermione?"

"What is it Ron?" Hermione said exasperated

"I think we're in trouble," Ron replied with a gulp as he looked up to see Snape outside the Forbidden Forest with his arms crossed as if he had been waiting for them.

"I bet Malfoy told him I was in here," Hermione whispered to Ron, who nodded slightly

"Well, well, well, Granger and Weasley, what were you two doing in the Forbidden Forest? I believe that it is _completely_ off limits."

"But... but..."

"No 'buts' Weasley. DETENTION! Both of you and 50 points from Gryffindor for breaking school rules," Snape said before he turned and made his way back to the castle.

"Stupid, slimy git," Ron said under his breath.

"I just don't understand what's going on..."

"Do you even care that we got detention."

"It doesn't really matter right now. We need to figure out what's going on. Come on, let's go to the library," Hermione said as she pulled Ron violently toward the castle.

Ron sighed. He didn't think a trip to the library would solve this mystery, but he didn't dare question Hermione at a time like this.

**A/N:** So what do you think? Good? Bad? Boring? Awesome? No matter what you think of my story I'd really appreciate it if you could review as I'm on a never ending quest for reviews, praise, constrictive criticism, or any other awesome randomness like that.


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